Browns Seemingly Already Rule Out Playmaker for Week 3
The Cleveland Browns are dealing with various injuries as they prepare for Sunday's Week 3 matchup against the winless New York Giants. Tight end David Njoku is one of several banged-up Browns at the moment as he continues to heal from an ankle injury that held him out of the Week 2 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Although the Browns certainly don't need Njoku to defeat the Giants, it'd be nice to have him back in the lineup to further establish chemistry with quarterback Deshaun Watson. Unfortunately, it looks like the veteran TE's Week 3 outlook is officially in jeopardy following Wednesday's practice.
Kevin Stefanski: Browns' David Njoku 'Unlikely' to Play in Week 3
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski revealed on Wednesday that Njoku is "unlikely" to face the Giants this weekend, per The Athletic's Zac Jackson. Even though there's always the possibility that Njoku's situation will improve, the fact that Stefanski is preparing for the pass-catcher's absence suggests that he won't play.
Stefanski said Njoku is "unlikely" to play this week. He's "hopeful" on Denzel Ward being able to play more than the 11 snaps he played last week.
— Zac Jackson (@AkronJackson) September 18, 2024
The Browns labeled Njoku as being "week-to-week" after he sustained his ankle injury during the Week 1 opener against the Dallas Cowboys. He was seen in a walking boot after the game, leaving Cleveland fans to debate the severity of his injury.
A former 2017 first-round pick by the Browns, Njoku has been the franchise's starting tight end more often than not throughout the last eight seasons. He's made 96 regular-season appearances during that stretch, converting 291 receptions into 3,308 yards with 25 touchdowns.
With Njoku likely being sidelined on Sunday, Jordan Akins will assume the TE1 role for the second consecutive week. The ex-Central Florida product barely made an offensive impact last week against the Jaguars, catching his lone target for 10 receiving yards while only playing 35 offensive snaps.
With that in mind, the Browns have three TEs they can promote from their practice squad: Geoff Swaim, Blake Whiteheart, and Cameron Latu. Swaim is a 10-year veteran with 846 receiving yards and six TDs across 100 career games under his belt. Meanwhile, Whiteheart made his Browns debut by playing 24 snaps last week while former 2023 first-rounder Latu is still looking to play his first NFL snap.
The good news for Cleveland is that it looks like everything will be fine without Njoku this weekend. DraftKings Sportsbook is currently listing the Browns as 6.5-point home favorites over the Giants in a game that's projected to feature 38.5 points.
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